Operation: Berlin, Germany

Date: 24th/25th March 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 433 (Porcupine) Squadron, RCAF, 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Halifax III

Serial: HX284

Code: BM:B

Base: RAF Skipton-on-Swale, Yorkshire

Location: Legden, 5 mls (8 km) SE of Ahaus, Germany

Pilot: WO2. William Francis ‘Frank’ Russell R139996 RCAF Age 23. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. Peter McLuskie 1821831 RAFVR Age 19. PoW No. 3389 * (2)

Nav: Fg Off. Mack Topplin J20255 RCAF Age 27. PoW No. 4028 ** (3)

Bomb Aimer: Fg Off. John Thomas ‘Jack’ Shea J25543 RCAF Age 30. PoW No. 4021 ** (4)

WOp/Air Gnr: Sgt. William Walmsley 1458471 RAFVR Age 21. KiA (5)

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Desmond William Howell R187826 RCAF Age 22. KiA (6)

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Robert Cyril Cossar R192821 RCAF Age 21. PoW No. 3388 * (7)

* Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland

** Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany

Above left to right: WO2. William Francis ‘Frank’ Russell, Sgt. Desmond William Howell (from their Service Records)

REASON FOR LOSS:

HX284 was one of fourteen (14) aircraft detailed from the Squadron for operations again Berlin on the night of the 24th/25th March 1944. They joined a force of eight-hundred and eleven (811) bombers on what was to be the last major raid on the capital of Germany.

The night became known as 'the night of the strong winds'. A powerful wind from the north carried the bombers south at every stage of the flight. Not only was this wind not forecast accurately but it was so strong that the various methods available to warn crews of wind changes during the flight failed to detect the full strength of it.

The bomber stream became very scattered, particularly on the homeward flight and radar-predicted flak batteries at many places were able to score successes. Part of the bomber force even strayed over the Ruhr defences on the return flight. It is believed that approximately fifty (50) of the seventy-two (72) aircraft lost were lost to Flak with most of the remainder victims of night-fighters. The strong winds severely affected the marking of the target with markers being carried beyond the target and well out to the SW of the city.

The Nachtjagd Combat Archive (16 March 1944 - 11 May 1944) Part 2 by Theo Boiten records that HX284 or 427 (Lion) Sqn, RCAF Halifax III LW574 was claimed as a probable by Oblt. Peter Ehrhardt his 12th Abschuss and 3rd of four (4) this night, from 8./NGJ5 as a Lancaster 20-30 km from the Rheine searchlight at 5.400m at 00:05 hrs.

Oblt. Ehrhardt survived the war and was credited with seventeen (17) Abschüsse, one (1) being a day Abschuss, with three (3) or four (4) awaiting confirmation. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

The claim for 427 (Lion) Sqn, RCAF Halifax III LW574 has been disproved.

HX284 crashed at Legden, some 5 mls (8 km) SE of Ahaus, Germany at 01:00 hrs.

A second aircraft from the squadron failed to return:

Halifax III LV481 BM:H – flown by Flt Sgt. Howard Walter Lossing R129893 RCAF and his crew were KiA on the homebound leg when the aircraft crashed in open country side 3 mls (5 km) north of Sandersleben, (5 km) NE of Hettstedt after being hit by Flak.

(1) WO2. Russell was the last to bale out but his parachute failed to deploy and was killed/ He was buried at the Epe Catholic Cemetery on the 27th March 1944.

(2) Although a General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-PoWs for Sgt. McLuskie has not been found, given that his PoW No. was #3389 and that of Sgt. Cossar was #3388 it can be assumed that his PoW experience was the same as that for Sgt. Cossar, see (7) below.

Peter McLuskie was born on the 14th January 1925 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Peter passed away in October 1976 in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.

Above courtesy of the Gateshead Post, dated 30th December 1976

(3) Fg Off. Topplin was hit in the left leg by Flak splinters during the operation. He baled out and was captured in the Rheine area that day.

After some treatment and the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang arriving there on the 5th April 1944.

Above courtesy of The Toronto Star, dated 27th May 1944

On the 30th April 1945, the prisoners were ordered to evacuate the camp in the face of the advancing Soviet Red Army, but the Senior American Officer (SAO), Col. Hubert Zemke, refused to give the order. After negotiations between Zemke and Commandant Oberst (Col) Gustav Warnstedt, it was agreed that to avoid useless bloodshed the guards would go, leaving the PoWs behind. The next day the first Soviet troops arrived.

The Western Allied prisoners took over the camp into self-administration on the 1st May 1945. After protracted negotiations between the Western Allies and the Soviet leadership, the evacuation of the 8,498 inmates of Stalag Luft 1 finally took place between the 12th and 14th May 1945. The former PoWs had repaired a runway at the Barth Air Base and aircraft of the 8th Air Force undertook a massive airlift called "Operation Revival". Hundreds of PoWs had meanwhile made their own way west.

RAF PoWs were flown back to England and the American PoWs were flown to Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, where they were processed and waited for a liberty ship to return to the United States.

Mack Topplin was born on the 9th May 1916 in York, Ontario, Canada. He was employed as a Salesman in Toronto prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 8th December 1941. Mack passed away on the 15th June 1974 in Toronto, Ontario, Cananda.

Above courtesy of The Globe and Mail, dated 17th June 1974

(4) Fg Off. Shea was not injured and successfully baled out of the aircraft. He was captured in the Rheine area on the 26th April. After statutory solitary confinement and interrogation at Dulag Luft, Oberursel he was transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang arriving there on the 5th April 1944.

His PoW experience was the same as that for Fg Off. Topplin, see (3) above.

John Thomas Shea was born on the 14th December 1913 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He employed in a Purchasing & Production profession in Toronto prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 7th May 1942. John died on the 4th June 1965 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Above courtesy of The Toronto Star, dated 5th June 1965

(5) Sgt. Walmsley baled out but was found dead due to severe wounds sustained aboard the aircraft. He was buried at the Nienberg Local cemetery on the 27th March 1944.

(6) Sgt. Howell baled out, however, when captured he was suffering from severe injuries sustained aboard the aircraft. He died of his wounds enroute to the Reserve-Lazarett at Gronau. He was buried at the Gronau Catholic Cemetery on the 30th March 1944.

(7) Sgt. Cossar was not injured and successfully baled out of the aircraft. He was captured near Ahaus that day.

He was then transferred to Dulag Luft, Oberursel, arriving there on the 28th March. After the statutory solitary confinement and interrogation he was transferred to Stalag Luft 6, Heydekrug in Memelland on the 2nd April arriving there on the 9th April.

In early 1944 the Russian Army were advancing into the Baltic States from the North and the East preparation for evacuating the camp was being made. PoWs from Stalag Luft 6, the camp closest to the Russian advance, were in the "northern route" of the force-marches, and were transported to Stalag 20A by train in June 1944.

Above courtesy of The Toronto Star, 7th June 1944

Sgt. Cossar arrived at Stalag 357, Kopernikus at Thorn (Toruń) in Poland sometime in late June 1944

On the 1st September 1944 the PoWs were force-marched from Thorn (Toruń) in Poland to the site of the former Stalag 11D, with construction being carried out by the Italian PoW from Stalag 11B. The camp was commonly known as Stalag 357, Fallingbostal but officially the designation was Stalag 357, Oerbke.

In early April 1945 the PoWs were informed by the Commandant Oberst Hermann Ostmann that 12,000 British PoWs were being evacuated from the camp in the face of the Allied advance. Sgt. Cossar was amongst the men marched from the camp in columns of 2,000.

After ten (10) days they arrived at Gresse, east of the Elbe. There they were issued with Red Cross parcels, but were then unfortunately strafed by British Typhoonfighter-bombers, mistaking them for German troops. Sixty (60) PoW were killed and many wounded.

WO. ‘Dixie’ Deans confronted OberstOstmann and bluntly gave him a choice, to be captured to the Russians or the British. Ostman provided WO. Deans with a pass and a German guard, and they headed west to contact the advancing British troops. On the 1st May WO. Deans and his guard were sheltering in a house east of Lauenbergwhen they heard over the radio the news of the death of Adolf Hitler. The next morning the house was overrun by troops of the British 6th Airborne. WO. Deans was taken to the commander of VIII Corpsand explained the situation. He was given a captured Mercedes car and drove back to Gresse. Two days later the PoW column marched back across the British lines. Sgt. Cosser was interviewed on the 10th May 1945.

Sgt. Cossar was appointed to a commission and promoted to J88148 Plt Off. at some point whilst he was a PoW.

Robert Cyril Cossar was born on the 29th November 1922 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was a employed as a Stock-Keeper for a firm named T.EATO, Company Ltd, known as Eaton’s which was a Canadian department store, prior to enlisting in the RCAF on the 17th September 1942. Robert passed away on the 2nd January 1993 in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

Above courtesy of The Toronto Star, dated 4th January 1993

Burial details:

The three (3) that perished were all finally laid to rest at the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Sgt. Walmsley on the 19th March 1947, Plt Off. Russell and Plt Off. Howell on the 20th March 1947.

Above the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery (Courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Plt Off. William Francis Russell. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 23.F.15. Born on the 30th May 1920 in Zealandia, Saskatchewan. Son of James and Margaret Carnegie (née Reid) Russell of Marriott, Saskatchewan, Canada.

WO2. Russell was appointed to a commission and promoted to J86605 Plt Off. effective 23rd March 1944.

Sgt. William Walmsley. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 23.F.2. Grave Inscription: “EVER REMEMBERED BY HIS LOVED ONES R.I.P.”. Born on the 22nd October 1922 in Lancashire. Son of James and Ellen (née Bushell) Walmsley of New Springs, Wigan, Lancashire, England.

Plt Off. Desmond William Howell. Reichswald Forest War Cemetery 23.F.15. Born on the 26th July 1921 in Birmingham, England. Son of William and Elsi May (née Somerfield) Howell of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Howell was appointed to a commission and promoted to J91045 Plt Off. effective 23rd March 1944.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered with thanks to Martin Kösters and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (Mar 2026)

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